the perfect band?

if you could create a perfect band, with the most outstanding rhythm section ever, who would be in it? i say 'rhythm section', cause this is a chance as well to put a good guitar on rhythm in addition to the lead guitar...

Me on bass maybe on vocals too, a guitarist with an Ibanez Seven String Guitar and Mesa Boogie amps who doesnt cheat or hog the song, a drummer with a good rhythm (i.e.: TOOL's drummer) and a person on synths that knows how to key, theme and blend into the music. I'd like the band to blend perfectly with each other so the songs are discrete and pleasant sounding like a well-composed orchestra and make a very different Industrial Metal/Indie band with a steady rhythmic yet percussive sound and can do something slightly different just to keep things fresh and give our fans some extra variety.

There's some people who can do that...even guitarists. Steve Morse comes to mind here.

Simon Phillips on drums.

John Pattitucci on bass.

Devin Townsend on vocals.

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I'll bite...who the heck is Devin Townsend?

Pattitucci is pretty close to perfect in terms of ability (although I can't say I'm nuts about his playing), as is Edgar Meyer but somehow I can't see either one playing with Iggy Pop or R.L. Burnside, ya know?

Ditto with Morse, he has a lot of breadth but I haven't heard him play any bebop or juke joint blues yet. I don't think Max Roach is breaking into a sweat when he hears Simon Phillips, either.

It's almost impossible to truly be able to play ANYTHING because to get real depth in a style you need to devote years to it. Classical seems to be the real killer here, I have yet to hear a classical "crossover" project (and there have been many) that worked 100%. For instance, I like the stuff Edgar Meyer has done with YoYo Ma and Joshua Bell, but those guys can't really play bluegrass fiddle tunes (they are too "polite") and Yehudi Menuhin's experiments with Indian music and jazz were interesting but hardly the "real deal". Coming from the other side, Wynton Marsalis has recorded some classical stuff but he pales next to real master like Maurice Andre.

The perfect band already exists!
I think one of the best rhythm sections ever is the rhythm section of the Blues Brothers Band. I want all of them in my rhythm section, and no-one else. they are so tight! Donald 'Duck' Dunn on bass, Matt 'Guitar; Murphy and Steve Cropper on guitar, and Willie Hall on drums. The rest of the band is damn good too.
Jim

posted by the lizard king:
The perfect band already exists!
I think one of the best rhythm sections ever is the rhythm section of the Blues Brothers Band. I want all of them in my rhythm section, and no-one else. they are so tight! Donald 'Duck' Dunn on bass, Matt 'Guitar; Murphy and Steve Cropper on guitar, and Willie Hall on drums. The rest of the band is damn good too.
Jim
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Oh yeah? If they're so great, how come they're not on a bubblegum card?

Do you want specific names of members, or just the description of the ideal members?

Me on bass -- simple, yet powerful and emotional.

Someone on rhythm guitar that isn't constantly trying to drown me out and compete with the lead guitarist.

Someone on lead guitar that doesn't have to compete with me or the rhythm guitarist for volume and understands the phrase, "Less can be more."

A drummer that keeps the time and doesn't worry about being flashy. No drum solos, please!

A lead vocalist that understands that without the rest of the band, he's just a karaoke singer. If I can't have that, then I would want the rhythm guy (or gal) to pick up lead vocals.

Maybe in a nutshell, I should just say that I would like everyone in my band to admire and respect one another, to help and encourage one another, to understand what it takes to reach a goal, to all have the same goal and lastly, that they are happy with the instrument that they chose to play and what that all entails.